Movie Talk

Published
3:58 pm EST, Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Kate Beckinsale arrives at the launch of Mandy Ingber's new book "Yogalosophy : 28 Days till the Ultimate Mind-Body Makeover" at the Soho House on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 in West Hollywood, Calif. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP) less

Kate Beckinsale arrives at the launch of Mandy Ingber's new book "Yogalosophy : 28 Days till the Ultimate Mind-Body Makeover" at the Soho House on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 in West Hollywood, Calif. (Photo by ... more

Photo: John Shearer

Photo: John Shearer

Image
1of/1

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 1

Kate Beckinsale arrives at the launch of Mandy Ingber's new book "Yogalosophy : 28 Days till the Ultimate Mind-Body Makeover" at the Soho House on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 in West Hollywood, Calif. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP) less

Kate Beckinsale arrives at the launch of Mandy Ingber's new book "Yogalosophy : 28 Days till the Ultimate Mind-Body Makeover" at the Soho House on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 in West Hollywood, Calif. (Photo by ... more

Photo: John Shearer

Movie Talk

1 / 1

Back to Gallery

OPENING FRIDAY

HIDDEN FIGURES: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae play the three black NASA scientists who were instrumental in sending astronaut John Glenn into orbit. (PG-13 for thematic elements and some language) http://www.foxmovies.com/movies/hidden-figures

A MONSTER CALLS: A boy (Lewis MacDougall) befriends a tree monster (Liam Neeson) to help him with his terminally ill mother (Felicity Jones). (PG-13 for thematic content and some scary images) http://www.focusfeatures.com/amonstercalls

UNDERWORLD — BLOOD WARS: Kate Beckinsale returns to fight vampires and werewolves in the 645th installment of the action-horror franchise. (R for strong bloody violence, and some sexuality) http://www.underworldbloodwars-movie.com/site

FROM THE MOVIE BLOG:

#OscarsSoInclusive?: After last year's justifiable #OscarsSoWhite controversy regarding the Academy Award nominations and the absence of any actors of color among the chosen for the second year in a row (Seriously, in a year that included "Straight Outta Compton," "Creed," "Beasts of No Nation," "Tangerine," Benicio Del Toro in "Sicario" and Oscar Isaac in "A Most Violent Year."), some people were concerned 2017 would serve as an overcorrection. They feared that the nominations for the films of 2016 — announced on Tuesday, Jan. 24 — would swing too far the other way and include dubious choices brought forth through political correctness and liberal guilt. A ridiculous (and offensive) worry on the face of it, and one that should prove invalid by the sheer quality of diverse movies this past year. Friday's opening, "Hidden Figures," is technically a 2016 release and features three potential nominees, lead Taraji P. Henson and supporting actresses Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae. Add them to the list of actors of color filling up critics' best-of lists, including: Denzel Washington and Viola Davis in "Fences"; practically the entire cast of "Moonlight"; Ruth Negga in "Loving"; Sonia Braga in "Aquarius"; Nate Parker in "The Birth of a Nation"; Dev Patel in "Lion"; and Issey Ogata in "Silence."

Love movies? Love talking about them? Love reading about them? Go to Times Union Movies blog, moderated by film fanatic C.J. Lais Jr. and join in the conversation. http://blog.timesunion.com/movies